ABSTRACT
Mineral solubilities in electrolyte solutions can be calculated from thermodynamic considerations provided that equilibrium constants are known and activity coefficients can be obtained. Successful prediction of mineral solubilities in concentrated electrolyte mixtures had been hampered by the lack of an adequate thermodynamic model for the properties of concentrated electrolyte solutions. In a majority of the cases studied, the published standard-state properties and binary ion interaction parameters yield calculated mineral solubilities in pure water which are in very good agreement with experimental data. Mineral solubilities at variable temperatures can be calculated provided that standard-state chemical potentials of the solids and aqueous species and the ion interaction parameters are known at the temperature of interest. The calculation of mineral solubilities in electrolyte solutions requires models that accurately describe the thermodynamic properties of aqueous electrolytes over wide ranges of concentration as well as temperature and pressure.
